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 Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 1:46 pm
A dark-red wolftaur with a human half covered in bright red tattoos made his way along the beach to where another wolftaur was working on a boat. As he came closer, he realized the boat-worker was a female, and a pretty one at that. "Excuse me, miss," he asked with a flirting smile as he came within speaking range, "May I ask where the boat-maker is? I was told I could rent a boat from him to get to the cervitaur island." His orange eyes traveled over her body, silently approving of her upper-arm tattoos.On the other island, Elitalov trotted impatiently along a forest path that led to the beach. Where is she? he thought. Evi and those kids... they're all teens now, they don't need her to take care of them... but of course she wants to, just like she always did for me, her older brother. He couldn't help but smile, but it only lasted for a moment. Oh right, then there's that naga she was taking care of who ran away because someone Evi was talking to hurt her feelings. He sighed. A naga, of all races. Evi, you're too kind for your own good, worrying about a child that may not even deserve to live. But I'm sure that you believe she does. He stopped walking as he came out of the forest and to the water's perpetually moving edge. He ran a hand through his hair, deciding to wait there for her show up.
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Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 2:55 pm
Sweetfern looked up from her work and, true to her name, met his flirting smile with a sweet one and flipped her hair casually. She balanced her tools on the overturned hull of the boat so that they wouldn't roll away into the sand. Sinuously she got to her paws. "My, my," she said, strolling in an arc toward the red wolftaur, surveying him as openly as he did her. Allowing her smile to speak for itself, still sweet but gaining a touch of slyness as she raised her eyebrows, she finally answered, "You may ask, but I'm afraid he's not available at the moment."
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Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 4:23 pm
He grinned, hoping his warpaint-covered torso impressed her. "Not available, hmm?" he asked, not realizing that she was the actual boat-maker. "Well then, maybe you and I can make a deal..." He winked suggestively, but was only joking. He continued in a slightly more serious tone, "I'm a blacksmith, maybe I could trade you a weapon for a ride to the cervitaur island? If you don't want it, I'm sure that your boyfriend or husband would." He smiled pleasantly, hoping she would reply with a 'No, I'm not in any relationships at the moment'.
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Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 6:39 pm
The wink caused her to raise her eyebrows even more, her smile becoming wider but thinner. "I'm sure we can come up with something."
The proposal to trade a weapon for a boat ride was interesting. Squinting in thought she glanced over at the row of boats lined up outside the hut where she built and stored the unfinished ones in foul weather. They were all carefully built and she had tested each one in the waves. The one closest to the hut was Sweetfern's own boat: a masterpiece of crafting and a work of art, the outside carved to look like a sea beast cutting through the waves.
"Done," she said, turning her head back to him fast enough that her hair swirled over her shoulder. "What kinds of weapons do you offer?" Deliberately she left her relationship status a mystery, and there was a seductive cleverness in her smiling silver eyes.
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Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 8:24 pm
"For you? Whatever kind of weapon you want." Grinning, he glanced at the boats, noting how she never said if she was involved with anyone. This girl was good, the first real match he had ever had with a female. All the others had been easy, he'd had them giggling and willing to do whatever he asked within minutes. But this one was different, she actually posed somewhat of a challenge. "What kinds of boats do you offer?" He ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it and making it messier than it already was. "I'll base my quality on your quality."
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Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 10:09 pm
"Oho!" Sweetfern said, amused. "You doubt my quality?" She matched his hair-ruffling by shaking her own back from her shoulders. "Well, we can't have that." She padded by him on her way to the line of boats, passing closer than was strictly necessary, giving a careless flick of her tail when her back was to him. Pausing she glanced over her shoulder, still smiling faintly. "How about... a demonstration?"
Smiling to herself she walked elegantly between her own highly decorated boat and the nearest plain one, musing, "I have three choices. I can give you a ride in this fancy boat here, which is the best one we have, and in return take your finest weapon. Or I can give you a ride in this plain boat, which is still a perfectly good boat, and get a plain but perfectly good weapon." Now she was on the opposite side of the line of boats, and she turned around to face him, putting a hand on her hip. "The obvious choice seems to be to use the best boat, and get the best weapon. But I wonder..." And here she tilted her head and regarded him with a smile that showed her canine teeth. "Is it possible that the best boat might be a little more than you can handle? You wouldn't want to... let's say... bite off more than you can chew."
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:54 pm
Twiddling her fingers on the small wooden flute, Mikaila danced on the shore. Today had been to beautiful of an autumn day to pass up. Soon, it would be too cold and she'd have to seek out provisions for the upcoming winter but not right now. It was to perfect now. Her tune was light, melodious and down right cheerful. It was the one she used to lift the spirits of passerbys and usually the one that brought in the most donations.
As day gave way to night, she took herself further away from the water that covered her bright pelt and started to walk home before the inky blackness settled. And as such, she sought out the worn path that would lead upwards into the forest.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:07 pm
Elitalov's ears perked up at the sound of a flute. Not feeling particularly amiable, as neither his sister nor the friend he was supposed to meet p with had arrived, he called out grumpily at the sight of a very bright-pink body, "Isn't it a little late for that sort of happy music? Now's more the time for ballads or slow songs, wouldn't you say? Or do you just not have much experience in these sorts of things?"
 "Eli!" a sweet voice called out from the forest. "Eli, is that you? I heard such beautiful music-" Evisule trotted out from the forest to see her brother as well as the source of the music, but she had not heard what he had said to to pretty cervi before then. "Oh, hello! My name's Evisule, and this is my brother Elitalov! That is, if he hasn't introduced himself already." She giggled. "Was that you playing just now?"Glancing up at the position of the sun, he matched her grin with one of his own. "Oh, I always bite off more than I can chew. It's a bad habit of mine. But what can I say, it's too much fun, and I always come out all right. Now, I'm a bit late to meet my friend, and he's not the most patient cervi in the world, so if you could get me there really fast, not only will I make you a weapon of your choice, but..." He held out his right fist to her and opened it, showing a delicate-looking, finely-crafted, very detailed silver maple leaf pendant on a leather string. "...I'll throw this into the bargain as well."
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:38 pm
She tapped thoughtfully on her chin for a moment, then smiled. "It's a deal." She took the pendant and dropped it over her head, pulling her hair free. How nice -- it looked even better on her than the one that she'd allowed her dolt of a brother, Fisk, to have as a gift for some girl. She smiled in affectionate amusement at the thought of him giving it, probably acting all proud as if he'd done something wonderful. Then she leaned down and picked up the elaborately carved boat as if it weighed no more than a paddle. Bracing it against her side she sauntered down the beach.
"You didn't want to know what my third option was?" she asked sweetly as she set the boat down in the sand and returned to quickly put away her tools and pick out a pair of paddles from the hut. "No matter. Here." She tossed one of the paddles to him. "I assume you know how to use it?"
Without waiting for an answer she smiled and dragged her boat into the receding waves, holding it and gesturing with her paddle. "You go on and get in first, and sit in the front." When the waves surged back up the beach a few moments later they lifted the hull out of the sand and Sweetfern had to hold it so it didn't float away.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:51 pm
He nodded as he caught the paddle, impressed with her strength. He would never have guessed it form just looking at her, but then, her personality should have been a hint. "Of course I do. I have paddled to the other islands before, you know." He winked. "But never with such charming company, I must admit."
Stepping lightly into the boat, he settled comfortably into the front, holding his paddle at the ready. "Shouldn't it be 'ladies first'?" he mused. "Or do you just prefer to be the one to control the direction of the boat?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 4:41 pm
"The second one." She used the waves to float the boat out until it was nearly free of the sand and then hopped in herself, using the paddle to push them out further. "My ride, my rules." She started paddling, balancing deftly as the boat bobbed up and down. "So, mysterious stranger, have you a name? Though, I don't know -- I think the mysterious stranger thing works well for you." Playfully she smirked. The boat sliced through the water with all the speed its sea beast appearance promised.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 4:51 pm
He laughed. "Well, if you like my being a mysterious stranger, why would I want to tell you my name? How about you tell me yours first, hmm? Then if you truly wish it, I'll tell you mine." He turned his head to smile slyly at her, making sure not to miss a stroke of the paddle and to go on the opposite side of her paddle while continuously alternating sides.
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 5:11 pm
It was of little consequence whether or not she knew his name and now that she had given him reason to think it advantageous, she let him stay anonymous. But it didn't hurt to tell him her name. "Hmm, all right. I'm Sweetfern." She paused, giving the appearance of indecision, then smoothly smiled and moved on. "Where should I drop you off, mystery man? And will you want a ride back or shall I leave you stranded there?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:08 pm
Mikaila wasn't sure what to make of the male cervitaur at first, for she surely hadn't planned on seeing him out here or anyone else on that note. " I play what comes to my soul, " She said softly as the other cervitaur came into view.
What a pair they made. All of the markings and colorations matched except for the males bright green, which gave him that extra boost all men seemed to need. Ah, so it's Eli and Evi, Her mind giggled. Did their parents plan that or what it just a conincidence? " Aye, that was I playing, " She held out her hand in the common greeting with a calm, sweet smile on her face. " It's nice to hear compliments on my music. I'd say that it's even nicer than meeting company out here. I'm Mikaila, by the way. "
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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:28 pm
Smiling to himself, he said somewhat loudly so she could hear over the sound of the waves, "Sweetfern, eh? What a pretty name. And yes, I would appreciate a ride back, but I'll probably be there for a while. Of course, if you don't stay with me, how will you be able to get your weapon? You'll have to stay very close to me to get your payment." He could see the outline of the island now, they were going so quickly.
"It's nice to meet you, Mikaila!" Evisule shook her hand happily, but Elitalov simply crossed his arms.
"Come on, Evi, we don't have time for pleasantries with strangers. My friend could have landed on shore by now, and he might be lost." Eli tugged on his younger sister's arm and she followed, but stopped after a step.
"Oh Eli, we don't have to be strangers! It's always nice to make new friends! Wouldn't you agree, Mikaila?" Evi grinned. "Especially one who creates such beautiful music!"
He sighed. "I just said, we don't have time-"
She hit him lightly on the arm. "Eli! That's no way to treat other people and you know it! All my adopted siblings know better than you!"
He offered a meek smile to her. "Well, I have spent quite a bit of time away from you Evi, so I must've slipped into some bad habits. Sorry."
She smiled, but gestured to the other cervi. "I'm not the one to apologize to."
Frowning, Eli turned to Mikaila, his arms crossed again. "I'm... sorry. I shouldn't... I shouldn't have been so rude to you. If you want to, I would be very glad if you joined us for the evening." His struggle to continue his sentences showed he was obviously lying, and unhappy about it too, but he loved his sister and would do almost anything for her, seeing as she was all he had left.
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